Vancouver 
Events Description
What would you pack if you were forcibly removed from your home today? This is what photographer Kayla Isomura asked more than 80 fourth and fifth generation Japanese Canadians and Americans for her travelling exhibition, The Suitcase Project, which will be on view at the Museum of Vancouver starting November 20, 2025.
In 1942, approximately 23,000 Japanese Canadians and more than 100,000 Japanese Americans living on the west coast were uprooted from their homes and placed in internment camps or incarceration. Subjects for The Suitcase Project were given 24 to 48 hours’ notice to assemble their things, similar to what many Japanese Canadians faced in 1942. Ranging from infants to 51-year-olds, they were photographed in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Western Washington. The photos show subjects with their luggage and what they decided to pack, in addition to video interviews and information about internment/incarceration.
Considering current debates on belonging, citizenship and representation, and while diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are challenged and dismantled globally, the history of internment/incarceration resonates today. The Suitcase Project forces viewers to think, “what if it were me?”
The Suitcase Project is a travelling exhibition created by the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre.
Who is it for?
All ages
HOW MUCH
Tickets : Free to $23
Adults (18+): $23
Seniors (65+): $18
Students (with ID) & Youth (13-18): $18
Children (12 and under) accompanied by an adult: Free
Maximum 6 children per adult. Additional children will be charged at the Youth rate. This offer is for friends and family and not to be used for organizations, classes, or youth groups. Click here for schools and youth groups, and here for adult group bookings.
Individuals self-identifying as Indigenous: Free
Please note that ticket sales will end 30 minutes before closing.
Prices include GST. A service fee is applied to online ticket sales.
How to get tickets?
Email: marketing@museumofvancouver.ca
WHEN & WHERE
Date: November 20, 2025 – November 8, 2026
Monday – 10am – 5pm
Tuesday – 10am – 5pm
Wednesday – 10am – 5pm
Thursday – 10am – 8pm
Friday – 10am – 8pm
Saturday – 10am – 8pm
Sunday – 10am – 5pm
Venue & Address
Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
Wheelchair accessible
